2 gang members charged in Pittsfield shooting

Posted
Saturday, November 3, 2012 8:45 am

By Andrew Amelinckx, Berkshire Eagle Staff

Friday November 2, 2012

PITTSFIELD -- Two suspects in what police are called a gang-related shooting on John Street were arraigned on Thursday in Central Berkshire District Court and released on personal recognizance on the condition they were GPS-monitoring devices.

Nathaniel Marksman, 21, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Christopher Grant, 17, each pleaded not guilty to three counts each of assault with a dangerous weapon and single counts of vandalizing property. The duo, along with a 16-year-old male, were arrested by the Pittsfield Police on Wednesday, a short time after shots rang out in the vicinity of 47 John St. at 3:38 p.m. No information on the juvenile was available.

Police are continuing to search for two others: Osai Morton and Tyler Chadwell. Police said they should be considered armed and dangerous.

Police say all five are members of the Crips 8TE3 street gang.

The intended victim and two other people who were standing nearby said at least eight shots were fired in their direction. A 2006 Jeep Liberty parked nearby had a window shot out, according to police. None of the alleged victims' names or ages were released by police and their information was redacted in court documents. No one was hit by the bullets.

According to a probable cause report, five young men wearing black, hooded sweatshirts were hanging out in Pitt Park, just across the street from the alleged victim's residence.

The men had had words with the alleged victim earlier in the day and have had ongoing issues with him and his family.

The shooter, identified as Tyler Chadwell, whose age was not listed in court documents, allegedly shot eight times toward the victim and two other people standing nearby.

Witnesses told police that Marksman handed Chadwell something just before the shooting, but they weren't certain whether it was a gun or bullets.

Two of the three defendants arrested Wednesday -- it was unclear in the report which two -- allegedly admitted to police they had been at the scene of the shooting and had been there with the shooter. All three are being charged under the theory of joint venture, meaning they are equally culpable as the alleged shooter.

No handgun has been recovered by police.

On Thursday, Assistant Berkshire District Attorney Kelly M. Kemp told the court that Marksman and Grant have no prior criminal history and that she wouldn't be seeking bail in the case. She did request that the men be required to wear GPS devices, stay away from the victims and to be on a 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. Judge Paul M. Vrabel granted the request.

The two defendants are scheduled to be back in court for a pretrial hearing on Dec. 18.

The investigation is ongoing.

Pittsfield Police are asking that anyone with information about the shooting to call them at (413) 447-9705.

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